Vaping/cannabis use & anaesthetic/surgery - Help.

[Old_muel]

Got a knee surgery in 8 days & I'm still waiting to be contacted by the anaesthetist so i can ask if i should be ceasing my vaping/cannabis use, seems from my research like generally the answer to that is yes but ideally 2 wks before. Wansn't even given the anaesthetists details so cannot contact them & will have to now make that decision myself, it's day surgery, keyhole meniscal scraping for a torn meniscus & im very surprised he won't do it with just a local & sedative - i have a solid phobia/fear of general anaesthetic (waking up during/not waking up at all/reactions/post memory loss etc) as is & am shittin bricks already, anyone got any (educated) advice for me? Haven't partaken today & am thinking I will just cease but wondering if that might actually be more risky/dangerous to do that & still possibly be having withdrawal symptoms at surgery time than just keeping on using. Thanks guys & sorry if a bit OT from the norm

 

[Bologna]

All I can do is speak for myself and say, much of the adverse effects of t-breaks, for me, subside substantially after 3-4 days, and almost gone entirely after about a week. Other than the overall desire not being met, it mostly only causes sleep issues, and (extra) irritability for me... but we're all different, of course...

Edit: Good luck either way!

 

[olivianewtonjohn]

Hi, I am sorry that you have not been given clear instructions on this. did you communicate your concerns with your surgeon (who could have reached out to anesthesia for you or at least give you their contact info)?

As for withdrawal, its impossible to say without knowing how much/frequently you typically use. Even then its a guess (everyone is different and there isnt much data on this regardless).

I am sorry that you have a phobia of recall, many people get nervous before surgery, it is normal. Can I ask why you have this specific phobia? It is an incredibly rare event, when it does occur its typically in specific circumstances unrelated to your surgery (emergency trauma surgery for example).

Assuming you are not able to get into contact with the anesthetist, I would suggest avoiding the day off. Anything else is up to you. I would also highly recommend expressing your concerns and detailing your usage to the anesthesia provider the day off. Typically, a medication can be given before you even get into the OR which will help calm your nerves (and you probably wont even remember going to the room). The provider can prepare for a patient who might need more anesthesia - nothing they are not used to doing as anesthesia requirements can very from person to person.

Rest assured, you wouldnt be the first cannabis using patient that they have taken care of.

 

[onesixty2]

Weed messing with anesthesia??

A friend unfortunately has to have a surgery and mentioned they would have to stop with their edibles a month in advance so they could clear out their system because they were told it would mess with the anesthesia... Anyone else know anything about this?? Just curious since it was the first...

fuckcombustion.com

This came up recently, might be worth a quick read but remember that no one here is a doctor and can’t speak towards much beyond anecdotal experience. Be open and honest with your doctors.

 

[moogosa]

I had a hernia surgery a few weeks ago, I was told to abstain for two days prior to my surgery, Not sure if it helps, but you should have some sort of liason from the surgeons office or the hospital to reach out to for pre-surgery information and instructions? I also had to clean the skin area with a special cleanser beforehand to sterilize the surface, so you should most definitely seek clearer instruction from your surgeons office if you have any questions at all, instead of asking a forum

 

[Old_muel]

Thanks guys, @Bologna yeah same here pretty much now i think about it the couple times during my 9 or 10 yrs combustion-free that ive had a break it's been similar to what you describe & actually surprisingly easy/mild compared to the nightmarish experiences i recall trying it back in the combustion days, eeew
@olivianewtonjohn yeah i told the surgeon about it & he just said to ask the anaesthetist when they contact me, that was only a few days ago though & he did do a juggling act to fit me in quickly coz im immobile & on crutches so a bit of a compressed timeline likely to blame here they'll probly contact me today. My phobia is largely irrational & baseless it's just something I've always feared for no particular reason - (i know the risks of complication are low, but they do exist, ive read that up to 5% experience some amount of permanent memory loss) - Just a combo of being an overthinker & also not being a gambling man i guess (i dont really even gamble at the casino lol) - I'm actually still considering cancelling & shopping around for a different surgeon that will do it with local+sedative coz ive read that that's possible & even usual for this procedure. Hey to be clear you meant you'd just abstain the day of the surgery right? Thanks for the reassurance man appreciated.
Def not looking to replace any pro med advice here & just after some anecdotes, thanks again you guys rock

 

[Old_muel]

Oops no edit available; Update - ol matey anaesthetist contacted me & said "keep taking your medication it's fine". So I think my plan is to just use minimally only as needed & then none on the day. Thanks again legends. ps. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for people facing actual life threatening surgery.

 

[olivianewtonjohn]

@Old_muel

I dont want to worry you too much but some perspective, every procedure has risks. Whether thats getting an IV, nerve block, local injection, general anesthesia, etc

Yes if I were in your shoes I personally would do the same thing, limit usage and no usage the day of surgery, and even better is telling your provider and following their advice as you are doing.

As for the 5% value you quoted, if its not too much effort please link it, I would love to read more about that, 5% sounds high to me

 

[Artrix Global]

I'm not a medical expert either, but i think it's important to talk to your anesthesia provider about your cannabis and vaping use before surgery. Suddenly stopping might cause withdrawal symptoms, which could be concerning during the procedure. Maybe reach out to your surgeon's office or the hospital for advice and guidance. Anyway good luck with your knee surgery!

 

[Old_muel]

Thanks man I'll have a look for where i got that.
Thanks guys

 

[Polarbearboy]

I'm in a legal state so my doc knows I'm a regular cannaboy. As well, I'm elderly and so subject to extra concern about sedation. I've had surgeries and colonoscopies which require being fully sedated. I've talked to both anesthesiologists at our excellent hospital who both had the same advice: Don't come in stoned and probably best to cease imbibing 12 or so hours before administration of sedation. They've never mentioned having to clear out one's system: I'm pretty sure that means its not an issue.